A Burden Too Great To Bear
by blerghy
Summary: The opal. The stone that gives glimpses of the future, for better or worse. Upon touching it, Lief sees something that will change him forever. Terrified, he attempts to find a way around it, but there is no escape... Full summary inside. LiefxJasmine.
1. Worse Than A Nightmare

Full Summary: The opal. The stone that gives glimpses of the future, for better or worse. Upon touching it, Lief sees something that will change him forever. Terrified, he attempts to find a way around it, but there is no escape. Will it or not, he knows that what he saw will come true, and he knows that he must be ready to face it.

A/N: I know that I shouldn't be starting a new story, but I couldn't resist. Please review:)

Disclaimer: I don't own Deltora Quest, unfortunately for me.

Worse Than A Nightmare

_The Vraal stared at him, its deadly sharp teeth gleaming as it grinned and its sword-like claws raised, ready to strike. Lief's heart was pounding, but he held his ground, the sword his father had made for him raised high. He had to do this. He would not be taken down without a fight, and he would not sacrifice the life of the child cowering behind him. He swallowed, trying to keep his limbs from shaking, his head held high as he tried to show that he was not afraid of the creature before him._

_"Listen to me," Lief muttered to the little girl who was clinging to his leg. "I am going to distract it, and hold it here for as long as I can. You have to get out of here. Run to the palace and get Captain Barda as fast as you can. Do you understand me?"_

_"Yes," the girl whimpered._

_"Good. Back towards the city slowly, until you are about fifteen metres away from the Vraal, then run. Its attention will be on me," Lief whispered. The little girl reluctantly let go of him and began backing away slowly. The Vraal growled upon noticing, but immediately forgot the child as the man with the sword stepped forward slightly, raising his sword even higher, challenging the creature._

_Hissing, the Vraal began to circle the young king, its mind focused on what it had been bred to do. To kill. Its attention was entirely on the man before it, and it did not see the small child sprinting back to the city nearby, trembling as she ran._

_Lief took a deep breath and steeled himself for what was to come. He could neither run nor hide, as both would result in certain death. Fighting was his only option, and though he was still certain that he was going to be killed, he had to hold the creature off for as long as possible. Otherwise it might enter Del._

_Without warning, the Vraal leapt forward and, on pure reflex, Lief's sword flashed up to meet it, making a clanging sound that chilled him to the bone. The Vraal leapt back and continued to circle him, grinning horribly._

_Once again, it took a leap towards him, but at the last second whipped its tail, sending Lief to he ground. Gritting his teeth, Lief jumped to his feet again, trying to ignore the blood running down his leg._

_Again and again the Vraal attacked, and Lief parried, but the creature was getting impatient. It was not going to toy with its prey any longer, and Lief desperately kept defending himself. He could hear the guards leaving the city gates and sprinting towards him, but they were not fast enough. There was not enough time._

_Out of the corner of his eye he saw a familiar young woman with wild black hair with the guards, following the man who obviously was Barda. He wanted to cry out to Jasmine and tell her to get back, but he could do nothing but defend himself, ignoring the intense pain from the wounds that were dripping with his blood._

_All of a sudden, time seemed to stand still. Lief's breath was suddenly knocked out of him as something sharp seared though the skin of his stomach, making blinding pain spread through his entire body. Without a sound, Lief fell to his knees, the Vraal's claws still inside him. He could see red, but the red was rapidly turning to black as everything faded away…_

Jasmine and Barda slammed the king's bedroom door open to see Lief thrashing and screaming on the bed, his body convulsing. Jasmine darted forward and yelled his name, grabbing his arm, but Lief continued to writhe. Leaping forward, Barda attempted to pin the young king down so that he would not injure himself, but was knocked back almost immediately by Lief's arm smashing into his jaw. The king had one hand on the Belt, Jasmine noticed as she leant over him, yelling his name as she avoided being hit by his flailing limbs.

Suddenly Lief's eyes flashed open and he jerked upright, nearly knocking heads with Jasmine, his breathing rapid and cold sweat on his brow. His face was deathly white and fear was clear in his eyes as he saw his friends. It seemed as though he did not recognise them. Jasmine reached out to touch his face and Lief flinched, drawing back from her. Jasmine immediately looked hurt, but Lief continued to stare at her as though she was leaning over him with a weapon. His eyes darted to Barda, then returned to Jasmine, who was looking at him with great concern, and he squeezed his eyes shut to try and hide his fear, remembering who they were.

Jasmine tentatively reached out again and brushed the damp hair from his eyes, and upon seeing no negative reaction, moved forward and embraced Lief, allowing him to hide his face in the crook of her neck as she held his trembling body. Lief opened his eyes again and felt a jolt of terrible shock and fear, his heart pounding loudly in his chest as he realised something. His hand was clutched tightly around the opal.


	2. Fear And Doubts

A/N: Well, this chapter is dedicated to Sanity destroyer and particularly Obsidian Crystal. Your review got me to write the chapter. :)

Disclaimer: How many times do I need to say it? No, I don't own Deltora Quest, though I'd be glad if I did.

Fear And Doubts

Lief staggered down the stairs towards the kitchen, his eyes heavy from lack of sleep and exhaustion clouding his thoughts, making it a wonder that he had actually gotten out of bed so early in the morning. Since the vision he had had the previous night, Lief had not been able to sleep, and instead spent the entire night trying to think of a way around what was going to happen. But in his heart Lief knew that there was none, and great sadness nearly overwhelmed him.

_What will they do without me? Marilen is pregnant, and can hardly walk down the stairs, let alone rule a country. And what of mother? I am her son, and the only remaining member of her close family,_ Lief thought. _And Barda is so used to discussing the land with me, and Doom is like a second father. Ranesh has had a hard life, he needs to be happy and carefree, not have the responsibility of being the king, having to rule alongside the queen. And Jasmine…_ At the thought of his best friend and the woman he loved, though he had not told her, Lief's throat tightened. _What will Jasmine do without me? I am the one she tells nearly everything, and we always spend so much time together. I cannot live without her, but what if she feels the same way? She has to get married and have a real family, as she always should have. What will she do without me?_

Lief reached the kitchen, thoughts swirling around in his head, and opened the door carefully. No one was inside, so he stepped in and sat at the table, his head in his hands. He was not ready to talk to anybody yet. _They will survive without me,_ he thought, trying to stop the panic and fear rising. _Of course they will. Perhaps it would be easier on them if I pushed them away, made them think I did not care and made them hate me… no, I cannot. I want them to know how much I love them if I am to die. They need to know._

The door to the kitchen opened again, snapping Lief out of his thoughts and making him jerk his head up in surprise. Standing in the doorway, looking at him in great concern was Jasmine.

"Lief, how are you feeling? You look terrible," Jasmine said, moving forward and taking a seat opposite him.

"How kind of you to mention," Lief croaked, trying to smile, though he knew that Jasmine would notice it was forced.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Jasmine asked gently, surprising Lief. She was usually not so gentle with people. _She is only ever so nice to me,_ Lief thought. _Maybe she has feelings for me too… of course she does not. I was being ridiculous._

"What was ridiculous?" Jasmine said, looking confused.

"I did not mean to say that out loud. Really, I am fine Jasmine. Just wonderful. How was Kree this morning?" he replied, abruptly changing the topic.

"Lief, tell me!" Jasmine demanded, becoming impatient. "You need to talk about it."

"No, I cannot at the moment. Please Jasmine… just let it be," Lief pleaded, realising that he probably looked pathetic, with his hair hanging messily in front of his currently watery eyes, but not really caring.

"All right. But talk to me when you need to. Now go and get something to drink, you need to wake up a little," Jasmine told him. Noticing that Lief's eyes were drifting to where the alcohol was kept, Jasmine rolled her eyes and, grumbling, got to her feet and went to make Lief a cup of tea. To her surprise, Lief walked up behind her when she was at the bench, wrapping his arms around her and burying his face in her hair as he hugged her from behind.

"Thank you, Jasmine. You are a wonderful friend," Lief murmured.

Jasmine smiled, though worry seeped into her mind at Lief's behaviour. Something was obviously very wrong; she could feel it. And she could also feel that whatever it was would damage her.

---------------------------------------------------

Later on, Lief found himself standing in his bedroom, staring at his sword. _How could this happen to me?_ He wondered, feeling like screaming, though remaining silent. _What did I do to deserve this? I do not want to die._

Lief sheathed his sword again, and a tear that he had been trying to restrain fell down his cheek.

"I do not want to die," he whispered.


	3. The Future Cannot Be Avoided

A/N: Well, I wrote this chapter a few days ago, but never got around to posting it, so I decided to take the time to do so today.

Disclaimer: I don't own Deltora Quest, though it would be great if I did.

The Future Cannot Be Avoided

Lief sat at his desk, as he did every day, attempting to reply to the letters he had recently been sent, but as had become normal over the past few weeks, he kept nearly falling asleep. He took a sip of water from the cup next to him to cool his parched throat, and then continued reading the letter in his hand.

_Your Majesty,_

_I do not wish to bother you, but it has come to my attention that the fishermen here in Broome are really charging far too much for their fish._

Tapping his fingers on the desk, bored, Lief continued trying to read. A few minutes later, the king realised that he had been reading the same sentence over and over.

"Why do they tell me, instead of the authority figures in Broome?" he grumbled. Irritated, Lief put the letter down next to his chair, on top of the growing pile of letters that he kept thinking he would eventually get around to. A series of curses left his mouth when he accidentally knocked over his half-full cup of water, spilling the liquid onto his desk. He snatched up the letters before they got wet, but was not fast enough to save the book that was also on his desk.

Lief sighed, knowing that he desperately needed sleep, but also knowing that he was unable to get any. The vision had been worrying him, and stopping his rest. Sighing, Lief attempted to clean up the water, but only succeeded in knocking his chair over as well as he stood up to try and find a cloth.

He heard a knock on the door, which he had expected, but was still very relieved to hear. Someone would probably have heard him and decided to take pity on the poor, exhausted young man.

"Come in," he called, picking up the chair as the door opened, then dropping it on his foot again, though not on purpose. He yelped and pulled his foot out, making the chair fall over, just missing his pile of letters, but making them flutter about.

"Oh Lief," Sharn said sympathetically as she walked into the room to speak to her currently uncoordinated son. "Go and take a break while I clean this up."

"Thank you," Lief murmured, walking over to his mother and giving her a kiss on the cheek. "I love you."

"I love you too, sweetheart, now go and get something to eat. You are looking far too thin," Sharn said, scrutinizing him.

"All right," Lief replied with a weak smile, walking out of the door.

Sharn shook her head, a slight frown on her face. Lief _was _looking far too thin. His face was pale and there were bags under his eyes, indicating his lack of sleep. _Why is he so sentimental all of a sudden?_ Sharn wondered. She enjoyed knowing that her child loved her, but Lief had only ever let her give him a brief peck on the forehead or a quick hug before the nightmare. _What is wrong with him?_

Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Lief was once again sitting at the table with his head in his hands, but this time he was being scolded by Jasmine rather than comforted.

"Honestly Lief! What is wrong with you?" she cried, cleaning up the drink he had just spilled on the table. "You cannot even hold a cup anymore! Be more careful,"

"Sorry," he muttered feebly, looking up at her with a sad expression on his face.

Jasmine's face softened a little, but then she realised that he was trying to get out of her rant. "You cannot avoid this talk, even with that face. Just look at you! A king who cannot even hold a cup. What would the people think?"

Lief looked genuinely hurt, before looking down at his hands. "I am trying," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

Feeling bad, Jasmine sat down next to him, putting her hands on his. "I know. I was too harsh, but please be more careful," she said.

"I will be," Lief promised, giving her a small smile.

The door opened again, and Barda strode in, trying to look irritated but in truth being more amused as a tiny figure followed behind him, smiling enthusiastically.

"Lief, this is Miriam, a friend Barda and I made when we were at the market today. Miriam, this is King Lief," Jasmine said.

Lief looked straight at the little girl and his face whitened. His hands began to shake and the world began to spin around him as he stared at her. _The girl from the vision,_ he thought. He heard Jasmine trying to speak to him, but the words made no sense. The only thing he was aware of was the child, before his vision faded to black, and he knew no more.


	4. Of Fear and Comfort

A/N: ... I really suck. I receive all those lovely reviews, and then never write the next chapter. Please don't be too mad! I've finally written something, and if you kill me, you'll never get to see then end of the story, right?

Yeah, this chapter is basically focusing around Lief's mental breakdown. He's getting all scared and depressed... But who wouldn't if they knew they were going to be skewered by a monster? Random Lief/Jasmine fluff as well. Geez Jasmine's being nice to him... But hey, I'm torturing him enough without making him suffer heartbreak as well. He's angsting enough already.

I was considering leaving the story at this, and just letting you guess the ending, but I decided that would be too mean. But, just before I end this long rant, I need opinions. Should I kill Lief or let him live? That's the big question, though I doubt people are going to be begging me to write him a funeral service, for some strange reason... ;)

Disclaimer: If I owned it, there would probably be some really, really weird magical beings running amok... And Lief would probably me one of them. :)

Of Fear and Comfort

Everything around him felt so soft and comfortable, and Lief smiled slightly, nuzzling into the warmth of wherever he was. His head felt sore, and his throat was dry, but he was far too comfortable to open his eyes, let alone get up.

"Lief," a soft voice said next to him.

_That is my name,_ he thought blearily. _Are they talking to me? Oh well. If I ignore them, they will leave me alone._

"Lief," the voice repeated, more loudly, and he felt someone else's hands be placed on his. He made a slight grumbling sound in the back of his throat and snuggled deeper into what he was lying on.

_Leave me alone!_ He cried mentally, too sleepy to open his mouth.

"Lief, wake up," the voice said, obviously impatient, as the owner of the voice shook his hands in an attempt to make him move.

"Go 'way," he slurred, his voice coming out very thick.

"You need to wake up now," the voice said. He realised that it was a female voice and seemed very familiar, but did not give him enough incentive to open his eyes. He shook his head and turned away from the direction of the voice.

"King Lief of Deltora! If you do not get up this minute, I am going to kill you!" the voice snapped.

"Jasmine, leave him alone. Look at how pale and sick he is looking, give him some time to rest," a voice that he recognised from when he was very little said. He remembered that it was his mother's voice, but still did not open his eyes.

"Did I hurt him?" a little voice asked.

"No Miriam, it was not your fault," his mother soothed.

_Miriam? Who is- oh no. Not her. She cannot be the girl from my vision, she just cannot be! _Lief thought wildly. He snapped his eyes open and blinked a few times to try to adjust to the bright light, and found that he was in his bedchamber. He tried to sit up quickly, but groaned and sank back down as a throb of pain went through his head. He glanced around him and was met with the sight of Jasmine looking pale and worried. He managed a tiny smile at her, trying to reassure her that everything was all right, though he was not certain of what was wrong in the first place.

She smiled slightly at him, looking relieved and gently brushed some hair away from his face.

"Lief," she murmured, gazing at him with her vivid green eyes.

Lief noticed that Barda was standing behind her, Doom was sitting in a chair scrutinizing him carefully, as though he had done something wrong, and Ranesh was there as well, no doubt at Marilen's request, as she could not check on Lief herself. Ranesh refused to allow her to walk so far when she was pregnant.

Ignoring the pain in his head, Lief carefully pushed himself into a sitting position and saw the little girl again, standing next to his mother. The child from the vision that was haunting him. His face whitened again and he felt incredibly faint. Eyelids fluttering, he felt someone grip his shoulders and guide them so that he was lying down again. Lief's entire body began to tremble as the vision played over and over again in his mind. His breathing was coming short and fast as panic overwhelmed his senses, making him unable to think of anything other than the fact that his vision was nearing. His heart was pounding almost painfully against his chest, and all rational though was lost as his terror overwhelmed him.

He could vaguely hear noise around him, someone's voice, but he could not distinguish any words.

The Vraal stared at him, its deadly sharp teeth gleaming as it grinned and its sword-like claws raised, ready to strike.

The vision was playing over and over in his head. He felt hands shaking him and a soothing voice murmuring in his ear. He felt his body being pulled into something soft and warm, something wrapping around him, trying to stop the trembling. The voice was slowly breaking through his haze, and calming him, making him become more aware of his surroundings.

"…safe… it is all right… shh…" the voice murmured, though his mind only recognised some of what was said. But still, there was warmth surrounding him, the vision was fading, and he felt himself slowly relax, though his eyes remained tightly shut.

"There… you are safe. I have you, Lief," the voice murmured. His breath was still coming in gasps, and his heart was still pounding, but the person was there, and he was safe. He realised that he was lying in someone's embrace, with gentle hands stroking his hair. Tentatively, he opened his eyes to see green ones staring right back at him, worry and… something else shining in the emerald orbs.

"J…Jasmine?" his voice came out as barely more than a whisper. Small, brown hands running through his hair and across his face were his answer, and, surprising even himself, he buried his face in her hair, some tears slipping down his cheeks that he made not effort to stop. He needed her. She knew how to comfort him and make him happy, though she would never be so gentle with someone else, he knew. He needed her to support him, even though he would not tell her what was going to happen to him. Some burdens, no matter how great, had to be managed alone.


	5. Caricature

A/N: I really, really should update more. Sorry if the chapter isn't very good, I did try. :P

Disclaimer: The only things that belong to me are the plot and the mistakes. XD

Caricature

Lief slowly awoke to a dark room. His hands were being held, and he could feel arms wrapped around him. He smiled as he recognised the familiar scent that was Jasmine's. Glancing around, his eyes slowly adjusting to the darkness, he realised that Barda was also in the room, snoring on a chair. Jasmine was curled up against him, and he was lying in a bed. He scanned the room again, and started slightly when he noticed piercing, dark eyes watching him carefully.

"Welcome back to the world of the living," the man said dryly, though there was a hint of a smile on his lips.

"It is good to be back," Lief said softly.

"You know, you have passed out more times recently than some people have in their whole lives," the man murmured.

"I seem very weak," Lief muttered. "But it is hardly my fault, Doom."

"Well then, would you care to explain whose fault it is? Or are you just going to continue scaring the life out of everyone?" Doom asked.

The young king winced slightly. The last thing he wanted to do was tell them what was going to happen. He needed his last moments with them to be happy ones… He was surprised to realise that the blind panic and fear had left him, leaving acceptance and numbness in their wake. _It does not matter what I do,_ Lief thought. _It is going to occur, and they need to know I love them, whatever happens._

A feeling of determination swept over him, and he raised his eyes to meet Doom's. "There is nothing anyone can do," he said simply.

"Perhaps there is, and you are too blind to see it. We want to help you, Lief, but you need to tell us what is wrong!" Doom hissed, frustration and anxiety evident.

"Do not worry about me, I can handle it," Lief said firmly.

"Oh yes, like you have been handling it recently. By fainting and having panic attacks every few minutes," Doom said icily.

"I am all right now," Lief sighed.

"I will abandon the topic for now, but do not think you have gotten away with it. You need to rest, or Sharn will have my head. But later on, you will tell me everything," Doom said.

"We shall see, Doom. We shall see…" Lief trailed off and closed his eyes again, listening to Jasmine's breathing. He eventually drifted off, knowing that he would need to make the most of every day. The clock was ticking, and every moment, he got closer to his fate.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

"Lief! What are you doing?" a voice cried. Wincing, Lief glanced to the bottom of the stairs to see his angry, worried mother regarding him.

"I am walking down the stairs," he said. It was clearly the wrong thing to say, he realised.

"Do not give me cheek, young man! Get back up those stairs and straight into bed!" Sharn snapped. Lief winced again. His mother was a gentle, calm woman by nature. However, when he got sick, she became very scary if she was not obeyed.

"I am fine, mother," he said gently, continuing his descent slowly, his hands on the railing.

"Lief, you need to rest," Sharn replied in a somewhat gentler tone.

"I have been resting for hours. I need to get some fresh air and stretch my legs a bit," He said, reaching the bottom of the stairs and standing in front of her. "I will be fine, mother, do not worry."

Sharn bit her lip, then leaned forward and embraced him tightly. "Be careful, sweetheart. You know you can tell me anything?"

"Of course, but there is nothing to tell," he said firmly, hugging her back.

Sharn sighed and released him, stepping back. Lief glanced behind her and realised that the small form of Miriam was hiding behind the lady's legs. He knelt down to the child's level and gave her a soft smile, which she returned shyly.

"Well Lief, perhaps you could take Miriam out into the fields just outside of Del. She has been asking to look for a necklace she lost, and she also wants to pick some flowers for Jasmine," Sharn said.

"Very well, come on Miriam," Lief said, standing and extending his hand. The girl hesitantly took it and beamed up at him. Lief smiled back, ignoring the feeling of trepidation that began to creep through him.

As they walked, Miriam chattered about how her father was a baker and had let her go and play with Jasmine and Barda for a while, as long as she was home at dusk. He nodded along, manoeuvring them through the people in the market. When they finally reached the fields, Miriam began to run ahead of him, searching for her jewellery as she picked pretty flowers.

Lief smiled as he watched her and began looking for a glint of metal that would show where the necklace was. She gave a cry of delight as she found a particularly pretty flower and rushed over to show him. The young king once again knelt so that they could see eye to eye, and examined it.

"It is a very nice flower, I am certain that Jasmine will love it," he grinned.

He stood again and glanced around. It was a beautiful day, and he raised his face to the sun, enjoying the fresh air. A soft smile reached his face as he looked at the child again, frolicking in the field.

A feeling of contentment spread through him, knowing what a wonderful day it was. A feeling that did not last long, as within seconds, a thunderous roar shattered the peace.


	6. The Nightmare of Reality

A/N: I'm sorry this is so short, but I couldn't really take it any further. Only a couple of chapters to go. XD The question is, will he live or die? You'll have to wait and see. :)

I know it took a while for me to update, but it's better than normal, right? Only a couple of weeks... Your reviews were so nice, I felt really guilty leaving it there. :D Lief thinks something sappy, just to warn you. :P

Disclaimer: Yes, of course I own it! What made you think differently? Why _wouldn't_ I own it?

The Nightmare of Reality

Lief froze, paralysed for a moment as his heart practically stopped beating. Slowly, knowing what was to come, he begun to turn his head. He heard little Miriam gasp, but did his best to ignore her. What he saw made his blood run cold.

Vraals truly were creatures from a nightmare. Huge teeth, sword-like claws and hard scaly skin, capable of butchering even the best of soldiers. The monster was approaching them, its teeth bared. Long rows of razor sharp teeth…

Lief felt the girl cower behind his legs again as the Vraal advanced. Taking a deep breath and ignoring his frantically beating heart, Lief turned his whole body to face it, placing his hand on the hilt of his sword. He slowly drew it, eyeing the beautiful blade, knowing it was his only hope. He proudly held it high, refusing to back away.

_So much for letting them know I love them,_ Lief thought miserably, tightening his grip on his weapon. The Vraal came to a halt and leered at him, raising his claws. Lief felt his heartbeat increase. Everything was going the way it had in the vision. He could never leave a child to suffer and die, running away like a coward. He was the king, and it was his duty to protect his people, no matter what it cost him. He swallowed and kept his body steady, not allowing himself to show weakness.

"Listen to me," Lief muttered, echoing the words that had played over and over in his mind. "I am going to distract it, and hold it here for as long as I can. You have to get out of here. Run to the palace and get Captain Barda as fast as you can. Do you understand me?"

As he expected, Miriam sniffled, "Yes."

"Good. Back towards the city slowly, until you are about fifteen metres away from the Vraal, then run. Its attention will be on me," Lief whispered. His mind was whirling. Everything was the same, always the same. _Am I going to die?_ He cried in his mind. He felt the girl release him and back away slowly, and the Vraal growled angrily. Lief stepped forward, as he knew he would, and challenged it, pointing his blade at he creature.

It begun to hiss and circle him, animalistic and cruel, its mind only focused on the little thing that dared attempt to threaten it. Lief knew that Miriam was currently running as fast as her little legs would carry her, but did not turn around, focused on his foe. _Del must stay safe,_ he reminded himself.

Though this time he knew it was going to happen, Lief only just managed to block the monster as it leapt at him. He grimaced at the sound of the collision, but readied himself, watching the horrible grin plastered on its reptilian face. It leapt, and its tail lashed, sending Lief to the ground. He knew it was coming, but it was still painful as the blood from his leg fell.

Readying himself, the king began to parry the Vraals blows, ignoring the hits he took, withstanding the pain. The Vraal was impatient, and he knew he had very little time. _Here they come,_ he thought grimly, fear coursing through him. _Not much longer now._

Lief caught a glimpse of the woman he knew he would see coming towards him. _Oh Jasmine, I am sorry. I hope you know, I have only ever loved you,_ he though sadly. He noticed Barda, feeling guilt creeping through him, accompanying the fear. The blood from his wounds fell, his body ached, and his heart felt as though it was breaking.

In a flash, Lief felt the feeling he had dreaded. He could not breath or speak. The pain was terrible, seemingly worse that it had been in his vision. His thoughts were incoherent as he fell to the ground, the Vraals claws sticking straight through his stomach and going out his back. Red clouded his vision, the pain was unbearable, and black began to surround him. Without a second thought, Lief succumbed to its embrace, allowing the blackness to take him.


	7. The Terrible Truth

A/N: Merry Christmas! Yes, I know it's a tad late, sorry. XD

Disclaimer: Mine... just kidding.

The Terrible Truth

There was the sound of voices, the patter of feet and the rustle of cloth. Hands were on him, and he choked back a scream. More voices, frantic, and more hands clamped down. He began writhing and twisting to attempt to escape, but to no avail. A voice in his ear, hands on his stomach, and agony throughout his body. He was dimly aware of someone screaming, warm wet liquid spilling and covering his body. Cold liquid was on him as well, and the screaming had not stopped. Something was pressed against where it hurt the most, his middle, and some of the pain subsided. It seemed to be stitching something together, though no hands were in there, only something leafy. Someone was chanting, and then cool hands pressed against his forehead, soothing him. As his vision began to blacken once again, a welcome relief from the pain, he became aware of the pain in his throat. It had been his screaming all along.

- - - - - - -

Light seeped in through his eyelashes, and Lief slowly became aware of himself. There was throbbing pain in his stomach, but it was no longer agony, he was surprised to find. It was bearable. _Am I dead? _He wondered.

He shifted his head slightly in the direction of a sound, his eyes still closed, too weak to move much more. He heard a gasp of surprise, and suddenly a hand was gently holding his and hair was being brushed back from his face. He heard the person say something, but was too tired to try to understand it. He heard more footsteps, and someone grabbed his other hand, squeezing his wrist. _Oh, my pulse,_ he realised. Bored of the proceedings, he snuggled back into the warmth. A hand begun to gently shake his shoulder, and he made a noise of protest. They would not relent though, and his eyelids began to flutter, his mind torn between sleeping some more or seeing what all the shaking was for. His curiosity won, and his eyes slowly opened, blinking at the bright light.

"Lief," a woman sobbed, and he turned his head slightly to blink at her. _Mother,_ he thought vaguely. _What is she doing here?_ Someone moved his body into an upright position, and he felt some water trickling down his throat, and he gladly drank as much as he could, though a lot of it escaped down his chin. He blinked around, recognising many of the faces, but too confused to tell them. His eyes began to close, and he felt someone placing his body back where it had been before. He smiled slightly in thanks as he drifted back to sleep.

For what he assumed was a long time, Lief slept, woken up on occasion to drink some water. He nibbled a little of the food offered to him, but quickly lost interest in it, choosing to sleep instead. He was nice and warm, and sometimes someone would stroke his hair or hold his hand, which felt very nice. One of his hands had been pressed against a little rock, and that made him feel stronger.

Lief stared at the ceiling, properly awake for the first time, mulling over the Vraal attack. He was alive and well enough, he supposed, though his stomach was still sore. He felt sweaty and hungry, but was surprised to see that he was quite clean. _Someone must have bathed me,_ he mused, embarrassed.

"Lief, you are awake!" an excited voice cried, and he moved his head in the direction of it, coming face to face with Jasmine.

He smiled weakly at her. "It would appear so," he murmured, his voice very hoarse.

"How do you feel?" she asked, attempting to feed him some small berries. To her delight, he accepted them, chewing them slowly.

"Not terrific," he replied, having swallowed the morsel of food.

"That is to be expected," she sighed. "Some Toran doctors managed to save you, as they had access to herbs with magical properties, and we made sure your hand was on the diamond, for strength," she explained, seeing his confusion.

"Will there be any lasting damage?" he asked quietly. She avoided his question, opting to prop him up and help him drink instead.

"Everyone was terrified and shocked when it happened," Jasmine said, her mouth in a tight line.

"I knew it was going to happen, so it was no surprise to me," Lief said absently. He winced at her horrified expression, and continued, "I knew because of the opal. That night where I had the so-called nightmare, I saw what would happen, and that is the reason I was so terrified for weeks."

"Lief, why did you not say anything? We could have helped you!" Jasmine yelled.

"Because it was my burden to bear. I did not need you worrying about I as well. The future always comes to pass, Jasmine," he answered. "And you did not answer my question."

"Lief, I am so sorry…" she trailed off.

"What?" he demanded, attempting to move closer to her. Shock spread through him as he could not. "Jasmine," he said, voice trembling, "why can I not move my legs?"

A/N: My baby's almost over! One more chapter to go! Oh, the _drama_ of it all. So angsty... Well, I was planning to kill him, but Lief didn't agree with that, so we compromised. Every time I kill him off, he comes back as a homunculus. Yes, homunculi are from Fullmetal Alchemist and have nothing to do with DQ, but you try telling him that!

... I sound insane. Anyway, thanks for the suggestions. The Barda fic will be here soon, don't worry. XD Reviews, anyone:D


	8. Epilogue

A/N: Last chapter! Wow... I actually finished it. :D Reviews, anyone? Come on, it's a pretty little button down there in the corner.

Well, I'm happy with the way it turned out, even if the ending is a bit abrupt. I still want to turn him into a homunculus though... -grumbles- He's been one in my head for months, egging me on and trying to change the plot of any story I write, Deltora Quest or not...

Disclaimer: I own the plot of this fanfiction. Keyword: _fanfiction._

Epilogue

_One year later…_

The festivities were truly amazing. The tables were laden with all different kinds of foods and wines, and people were gathered around them, talking and laughing. Flowers and beautiful ornaments had been forced into any space still available on the tables, and the pillars were wrapped in ribbons and fine silks. In the middle of the room people were dancing, some elegantly and some wildly, while the musicians played a fast jig. Lief beamed around at everyone, happily watching, though he wished he could be out there, dancing with his love. He accepted the fact that he could not, however, and settled for just looking. His heart felt as though it was going to burst, and he could honestly say it was the best day of his life.

Jasmine ran over to him, immediately making herself comfortable on his lap and beginning to adjust the wreath of flowers that Sharn had insisted belonged in Lief's hair. He laughed and batted her hands away, noticing that her matching wreath was sitting straight on her head. Jasmine huffed and adjusted her own wreath, and Lief realised that she had been fussing over it ever since she got it. He laughed again, earning him a slap on the arm.

"This is wonderful," Jasmine said happily, settling into his arms.

"Indeed it is," Lief grinned, kissing her forehead. She smiled and watched the dancers, and Lief sighed. "I am sorry I cannot dance with you. I know I break traditions frequently, but not dancing with my bride?"

"Do not worry about that! This day is perfect. Besides, Barda and Doom have been _more_ than happy to make up for your lack of dancing. I am afraid I will have to say goodbye to my feet," Jasmine joked.

"Ah, such a pity. Well, just so you know, I will tolerate your lack of feet, but lose an arm and I am afraid we will have to call it quits," Lief joked back, earning himself another slap on the shoulder, though Jasmine was laughing all the while.

Doom had asked Sharn for a dance, and she smiled as she watched her son with her brand new daughter-in-law. Lief and Jasmine had overcome so much, and she was very proud of them both. Jasmine had stood by Lief the entire time that he was getting used the chair with wheels that they had made for him, pushing him along when she decided that his arms must be tired and helping him adjust to his new situation. She had watched like a hawk while ramps were built, making sure they were not too steep, and she had been surprisingly patient as Lief got used to his paralysed legs and refused help unless it was absolutely necessary. Lief had been incredibly stubborn, more so than usual, and had lived as normally as he could. Though it frustrated those around him when he slapped their hands away, Sharn admired his courage and strength. Lief did not want to be treated any differently than he had been before, and eventually managed to adjust to his new way of life in his own time. Though Sharn knew they had all wanted to help him, she saw that it was better to let him do things his way, with as little intervention as possible. He was still independent, just as he had always wanted.

"Those two seem to be getting along well," Doom said dryly, gazing at the couple as well.

"They always have," Sharn replied, beaming. "It was a beautiful wedding."

"Indeed. The hilltop was a good place to choose, and here in the castle is a good place for the party. But I think we may be planning another wedding not too long after this…" Doom said.

Following his gaze, Sharn laughed. "I agree with you. Barda is sure to propose soon."

"Who says it will be Barda? Lindal is an interesting woman, and I doubt she will follow tradition either," Doom said, clearly amused. The song ended, and they released each other. "I suppose I had better ask Lindal for a dance. I fear she will be angry if I do not."

Sharn laughed at the slightly disappointed look Barda had on his face as Lindal was whisked away, and wandered over to the food table, smiling as she listened to Lief and Jasmine's discussion.

"I personally think that red would be nice," Lief said.

"Red would be nice, but if Lindal was wearing the traditional white, would it not draw more attention to me?" Jasmine replied, offering Lief a sip of the wine she had in her hands.

"Thank you," Lief said, accepting some of the liquid. "That is good wine. And I suppose you are right, red may do that."

"Well, we will just have to wait and see what she decides, if Barda ever gets the courage to ask for her hand," Jasmine rolled her eyes.

"He is certainly thinking about it. I was speaking with him the other day, and he was trying to surreptitiously get information out of me about how to propose. It was rather obvious, but I humoured him," Lief grinned. As Jasmine laughed again and he held her even closer, Lief felt that everything was as it should be. Life was good.


End file.
